Whether we’re travelling in town on local business, on extended road-trips for fun or even on assignment (rare these days thanks to the pandemic), we’re on the lookout for vintage metal. Be it an old school day to day driver or restored classic, we play no favourites. Be it never to turn a wheel again or a mangled jumble of parts, again, it matters not. Here we’re looking at a 1942-1947 Ford Pickup and it’s completely random find. This series of truck sometimes called a Jailbar Ford for the distinctive grill and we can see why. There’s a real looking out from a prison cell vibe to it.
So we’re out on some errand – is that an old…truck? Sure is! Comes a hard stop then soon after the photos below are captured.
While the decorative front licence plate (from Ontario) says 1942, it’s probable this truck is from the last couple years of production instead when output was at the highest. During World War Two many vehicles were earmarked for governmental bodies with few made available to the general public, so it would take a year after the conflict ended in 1945 before the flood gates opened in that regard. Still, it might be an ex-military truck for all we know.
Although we don’t know about this example, they could be had with the firm’s legendary Flathead V8, the first engine of this configuration to be mass produced. In spite of being a little rough around the edges, with a few dents and such, this old pickup does appear to be driven often.
That spectacular sky makes it a cherry on top kind of evening and the driver on the passing bus seemed to nod in agreement. Captured at the height of the lockdown (first edition) they had not a single passenger on board.
That same week… 737-200 – an old airliner in retirement.
Short Subjects: reports that are short and sweet in nature. This is stuff that’s interesting enough in itself, but not deserved of the full on BIGDoer.com treatment. It’s silly little snippets, vignettes and likewise things of that sort. You’ll be in and out in no time.
We used to do something called the "pointless challenge" 🤪 and miss those days. It was so much silly fun and often frustrating as heck. In these we'd invite people to send in random photos of obscure locations, but not give any information, and then we'd track where it was and shoot something similar.
Most of these came from old family collections, as was the case here. Anyone up to resurrecting the series?
In hindsight, why didn't we pose someone in our shot?
Pointless: “Devoid of meaning (or) senseless” Merriam-Webster.
If you like what we do and want to support this ongoing project (12 years now), go here: https://www.BIGDoer.com/help-the-society/ Thanks to Connie for making this post possible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: ca1970 and 2014. Posted by Connie.
Captured on a cold, cold day many years ago. We've been passing this old house for decades and it's little changed in that time. At some point we expect to drive by and it'll be gone.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
When retired old railway cars usually get cut up for scrap. Sometimes, however, they find their way into the hands of the general public or whomever. Flat cars make good bridges, and boxcars can be transformed into storage buildings and the like. Case in point here. We see them used like this often enough and in this case, it's part of a corral.
Incidentally, this boxcar dates from 1950 and this was found by tracing the old road number, which is still visible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
This central Alberta racetrack was never a commercial operation but instead just a fun place for car enthusiasts in the area to get together. Early '70s or thereabouts and it only lasted a few years. Even thought it's been abandoned for that long, there is no doubt what was here.
You know we like the the obscure stuff and this one fits the bill perfectly. Found by accident while backroad cruising and the history comes thanks to local car guy Mike.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
On top of little Myrtle Mountain in the Kimberley (BC) Nature Park.
There's some good wilderness fun to be had here and nice views as you can see, but the real reason we came is mining history. The whole area near the ski hill was extensively worked over a century ago and we were looking for evidence of this. We didn't find much in the area searched, but it's a big chunk of property and we hope to return to cover more ground again soon. Of all the subjects we cover, mining related is a favourite.
Still, it was a good hike and that can't be bad. Look to the comments for more info 👇.
Exploring nature and history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
It's a strange curiosity in south Kananaskis, there on a hillside and we have no idea who created it. We asked around and no one's completely sure about its history. In the past it showed the Canada 100 logo from 1967 but in 2017 someone changed it to reflect the country's 150th.
That's our friend Emily from DanOCan.com having a look.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
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I live just down the street and see that truck out on the road every now and then. What colours in the sky!
The sky was alive! It did look like the truck was drivable and I guess it would have to be if sitting on the road. What a cool old ride.
Amazing!
I know, how awesome!
Love that sky!
I know, it really popped that evening.
I would ride the number six bus to work early in the pandemic and would often be the only passenger the entire trip. What a crazy time.
Strange days are these!